Antifreezing device.



A. BABENDREBR & '0. R; WASSELVL.

ANTIPREEZING DEVICE.

APPLoATIoN FILED JUNI: 5, 1912.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

, FIG- 1 WITN ESSESI the AUNITED STATES PA TENT GFFICE;

ALBERT IBABENDREER AND CLIFFQRD R. WASSELL, OF OCEAN SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI.

ANTIFREEZING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

Application led J' une 5, 1912. Serial No. 701,761.

vice are a shut-off' valve and means for op! crating such a. valve whenever the water in the piping system is liable to freeze.

lt'is well known that, at water-freezing temperature, water in a piping system is less liable to freeze when flowing through the pipe than when it is lying quietly therein. Huch being the case it is desirable to regulate operation of anti-freezing shut-off valves so that, when water is flowing through the pipes, a lower surroundin temperature will be required to make e ective .the valve-operating means than when the water is not flowing through the pipes.

The object of our invention is to' provide an anti-freezing device, which is of simple and inexpensive construction and which will be eficient in its operation.

A further object of our invention is'toY provide such a device, which Will operate at different surrounding temperatures, such temperatures depending upon the condition of the water within the pipes as to whether or not it is flowing, and further depending upon the rate of fiovv of water in the pipes.

The preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which forms part of our specification.

In this drawing Figure 1 is an elevation of our preferred form of shut-ofl'unechanism; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View ot' a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. `l; Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of an alternative forni of valve construction; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of an alternate form of valve operating means; and Fig. 5 is a sectional plan View taken on `the line V-V, Fig. 4.

operating the shut-off valve, our preferred operating means consists of a chamber, adapted to contain a suitable quantity of water and oil, or, in place of oil, any suitable liquid that will not mix with water and which freezes at a substantially lower tem perature than water. Such a chamber 1 is particularly illustrated in Fig. 2, and, as shown, is preferably constructed in such a manner that one Vwall of the chamber is formed by the pipe section 2. The chamber l may. be filled With water and oil; and a tube 3 may extend from the oil-containing portion of the said chamber to a suitable pressure-operated valve, to the end that, when the water within the said chamber freezes, a portion of the oil will be expelled from the chamber and made effective to operate such valve.

The chamber l will, of course, be placed at the most exposed portion of the piping system 4, and in such position its outer wall will be exposed to the temperature conditions of the atmosphere, while its inner wall will be exposed to the temperature conditions of the water flowing through the pipe section 2. It will therefore readily be seen that, when the water in the pipe system 4 is not flowing, the water in the chamber 1 will, when the outer wall thereof is exposed to a freezing temperature, freeze at a relatively higher temperature than when water is flowing through the pipes 4 and applying heat to the said chamber through the inner wall thereof. Also the quantity of heat passing from water in the pipes 4 to the water in the chamber 1 will be dependent upon the rate of flow of the Water through such pipes, and the temperature of such water.

Our preferred form of shut-off valve is ,particularly illustrated in Fig. 2. The tube 3, leading from chamber 1, is connected to a cylinder 5 in which a reciprocating plunger valve may be operatively disposed. Such valve may consist of a piston or plunger 6 and a valve 7 and the valve is preferably arranged to close against the direction of flow through the pipes 4.

To the end that the pipes beyond the' shut-ofil valve may be properly drained, Weprovide a drain valve, adapted to be opened by the seating of the main shut-off valve. Such a drain valve 8 may be held .yieldingly in closed position by a spring 9, and may bel provided with a slotted stem 10, the lower end of which may be engaged by a linger 11 secured .to the plunger 6.' The drain valve 8 may be arranged to operate subsequently to the closing of the shut-olf valve by interposing a spring 12 between the vfinger 11 and the valve 7.

In order to admit air to the piping system after the vshut-off valve has been closed and the drain valve opened,. a suitable check valve 14 may be placed at the highest point of the said system. Such a check valve may be constructed to be held in closed position by the pressure 'of the water within the pipes, and may open to let air into the piping system4 when such pressure is relievedby the operation of the shut-0E and drain valves.

A convenient means for thawing the ice in the chamber 1 may consist of a trough 2O adapted to receive hot water from a suitable pipe 21. The bottom of the said trough may be provided with a plurality of holes 22, through which the hot water may' flow tothe sides of the said chamber. Also the thawing of the ice in the said chamber may be effected by means ofa suitable electrical resistance coil 23, surrounding the said chamber as shown in Fig. 2.

-Gli

An alternate form of shut-off valve is illustrated in Fig. 3. In this construction the plunger 6a has` link connection to the arm 15 of an ordinary water pipe valve 16. The fluid, entering the cylinder 5a from the tube 3, will be effective to move the plunger 6a downwardly and thereby close the valve 16; and the water from the pipes above the said valve will flow throughA the drain-cock 17. In order to open the valve 16 `after the ice in the chamber has been thawed, a suitable spring 19 may be mounted, as shown, within the chamber 5*". l

In Figs. 4 and 5 we have also shown an alternate form of liquid-containing chamber consisting of a U-shaped yoke 18 adapted to fit tightly around the pipe 4a. Such a chamber, together with the valve construction shown in Fig. 3, may be used in connection with a previously installed waterpipe system without cutting into the pipes.

The operation of our anti-freezing device, and particularly that form illustrated in Figs. -1 and 2, is as follows: A suitable quantity of water is placed in the chamber 1 and the rest of the said chamber, as well as the vtube 3 and a portion of the chamber 5, is lled with oil. Aslong as the water in the chamber 1 does not freeze, the pressure of the water in the pipes 4 will be effective to keep the valve seat 7 raised and the check 14 closed. When the water in the chamber 1 freezes it expands about one ninth Aof its volume and forces a corresponding volume of oil from the chamber 1 to the cylinder 5, wherein it becomes effective to .force theplunger 6 from said lcylinder and hence close the valve seat 7. The further movement of the plunger 6 will be 4'effective to compress the spring 12 so that the finger 11 will engage the lower extremity of the slot 10 and open the valve 8 against the tension of the spring 9. After the flow of the water has been shut off by the valve seat 7, and the valve 8 opened, thel check valve 14 willv open to permit air to enter the pipes 4 so that the water contained therein may drain from the valve 8. e

The water supply may be restored by causing hot water to flow through the pipe 21 into the trough 20 and down the sides of the chamber wall untily the ice therein has been melted, or by supplying-electrical' current to the resistance coil 23. The pressure of the water against the valve seat 7 will then open the shut-olf valve and cause the volume oof poil previously expelled from the chamber 1 to return thereto.

While we have illustrated but one freezing chamber in the piping system, it will be apparent that under some conditions of service a plurality of such chambers at different portions of the piping system may be desirable.

We claim as our invention:

l-1. As a means for operating a valve con-` trolling the flow of water through a pipe to prevent its freezing therein, a rigid chamber filled partly with water and partly with -a liquid freezable at a temperature lower than water, said liquid having further a different specific gravity thanl water and not soluble therein, the water in said chamber being exposed simultaneously to the temperature of water in la pipe and to that of the surrounding atmosphere.

2. The combination with a waterY pipe, and a valve for controlling the [flow of water therethrough, of a valve-operating means consistingv of a. single rigid chamber lled partly with water and partly with a liquid in bodily contact with the water and freezable at a temperature lower than water, said Jliquid having a different specific gravity than water and not soluble therein, the water in said chamber being exposed simultaneously tothe temperature of the water in said pipe and to that of-the surrounding atmosphere and operative connection between said chamber and said valve, ywhereby* the liquid in said chamber becomes eeetive to operate said valve on and by` the freezing of the water in said chamber.

3. The combination of a water pipe, and a pressure-operated valve controlling the flow of water therethrough, vof a valve operating means consisting offa rigid chamber surrounding said pipe, said chamber being filled partly with water and partly with a fluid freezable at a temperature lower than water, said liquid further having a different specific gravity than Water and insoluble therein, a pipe also filled with said liquid and extending frornthat portion of Said chamber in which said liquid is disposed to said valve, the pressure imparted to said liquid by the freezing of the water in said chamber being effective to operate said valve.

L The combination ofe Water pipe, a pressure-controlled valve in said pipe opening in the direction and by the pressure of the flow of water therethrough, a rigid chamber surrounding said pipe and filled partly with Water and partly with a, liquid freezable at a temperature lower than water,

a pipe also filled With said liquid and ex- 15 tending from that portion of said chamber in which said liquid is disposed to said valve. In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

ALBERT BABENDREER. CLIFFORD R. VVASSELL. lVitnesses:

J. B. BRANsFoRD, NonviLLE TURNER, PAUL N. CRITCHLow, FRANCIS J. ToMAssoN. 

